Magazine charger for firearms



March 5, 1957 w. R. KUNZ MAGAZINE CHARGER FOR FIREARMS Filed April 29, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. v Wigium RKIIT Z HTT'OENE Y5 March 5, 1957 w. R. KUNZ MAGAZINE CHARGER FOR FIREARMS '2 Sheets-Sheet Filed April 29, 1954 i I /x/a m y m INVENTOR. Wi111'umR K111-Lz RTTORNE Y5 United States Patent C) r The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to firearm magazines and i particularly directed to chargers for loading a plurality of cartridges into a magazine while assembled to a firearm.

One of the inherent problems of automatic types of shoulder arms is that of supplying cartridges thereto. The magazine and the number of cartridges carried by-a firearm are obviously limited by weight, as it is'important that the complete load of the weapon be as light tainers in which a limited number of cartridges, generally twenty or less, are spring-biased to a feeding position. In extensive firing, this amount is inadequate, therefore, the magazine must be removed and replenished or a spare, previously loaded, magazine installed.

as possible. The magazines are generally separable con- Because the magazine has to be sufficiently rugged in V construction to feed the cartridges to the firearm'under heavy spring tension without being distorted, the weight thereof is necessarily heavy. It is, therefore, inconvenient for an operator to carry many spare magazines onthis person. Then, too, an operator is inclined to throw away an empty magazine rather than be bothered by its weight and bulk. This adds up to a considerable loss as the magazines are relatively expensive to manufacture.

'Further, if it becomes necessary to refill a magazine,

the operator must lay aside the weapon as the loading requires the use of both hands, being a ratherintricate and bothersome operation The difficulties are, of course, intensified by darkness. Then, too, it is inconvenient for the operator to keep the count of the number rounds loaded into amagazine, especially if under fire.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a magazine charger for loading a plurality of packaged cartridges to a firearm magazine while installed in the firearm.

It is another object of this invention to provide a magazine charger for a firearm whereby the operator may load the firearm magazine easily and quickly without losing visual contact with the target or physical contact with the weapon.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a means for supplying cartridges to a firearm whereby only a. single magazine is necessary.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a magazine charger which is light in weight so as to add little to the operators load.

It is another and still further object of this invention to provide a magazine charger which is inexpensive to manufacture and, therefore, economically expendable.

The specific nature of the invention as well as other objects and advantages thereof will clearly appear from a description of a preferred embodiment as shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a partially cross-sectional side view of a tire- 2,783,570 'Eatented Mar. 5, 1957 arm showing the magazine charger of the invention in place; 7

Fig. 2 is a top view of the magazine charger;

Fig. 3 is a rear cross-sectional view showing some cartridges loaded into the firearm magazine from the magazine charger;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the'magazine charger with the follower removed; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the follower.

Shown in the figures is a firearm receiver 12 having a bolt slidably mounted therein and a cartridge magazine 13 separably mounted thereto. Magazine 13 is of conventional two-column type and is loaded by the insertion of a plurality of cartridges 14 into the top thereof against a spring loaded member 15. Immediately above magazine 13 is an injection port 16 which provides free access of a magazine charger 17 to the top of the magazine when bolt 18 is in recoil position. 7

Charger 17 includes a body 19 and a follower 20. Body 19 is a hollow container fabricated from a lightweight material such as aluminum and has a transverse cross-section similar to the longitudinal profile of cartridge 14 for closely receiving a column of such cartridges. The front portion of body 19, however, is arranged to extend slightly beyond the nose of the projectile of cartridge 14 to prevent any accidental injury thereto during handling.

.Foll-ower 20 is hollow and substantially rectangular in conformation and is arranged for close slidable movement from the top of body 19 to the bottom in the part there of which receives the case portion of cartridge 14. Therefore, the longitudinal cross-section of follower 20 is substant-ially similar to that of the case of cartridge 14. Provided through the longitudinal sides of follower 20 are lightening holes, as noted at 21, which reduce the weight of the follower without weakening the structural strength thereof below that required to load a column of cartridges 14 from body 19 into magazine13 against the pressure of spring loaded member 15.

Extending downwardly from the top edges of the longitudinal sides of body 19, and in the portion thereof which receives the larger diameter portion of cartridge 14, are arcuately terminated cut-out portions 22. Cutout portions 22 provide clearance for the finger or fingers of the operator to move follower20 from the top to the bottom side of body 19 as well as lighten the weight of charger 17 and are so arranged that when the topside of the follower is approximately flush with the bottom end thereof the bottom side of the follower is approximately fiush with the bottom side of body 19. The edges of cut-out portions 22 are rolled, as noted at 23, to give structural strength to body 19. Received by the two rear end portions and the two front end portions of rolled portions 23 are substantially U-shaped pins 24 and 25 which provide transverse stops for the upward movement of follower 20. A rear transverse slot 26 and a pair of notches 27 are provided in follower 20 to receive pins 24 "and 25 when follower 20 is in the topmost position in body 19 and thereby the follower is connectively engaged to body 19 to provide strength to the upper portion of charger 17 during handling.

Provided in the rear end of body 19 and in the portion which receives the projectile of cartridge 14 are lightening holes, such as are noted at 28 and 29. Extending upwardly from the bottom edge of each of the longitudinal sides of body 19 are three spaced outwardly extending dimples, noted by 30, which are arranged to slidably engage the sides of ejection port 16 to centralize charger 17 therein. Dimples 30 further serve to strength en the bottom edge of body 19 which engages magazine 13 during loading. Also provided in the bottom portion ofone 6f tlieiohg'it'udiii alsides of body 19 is a pair of thereof and the following claim is intended to include integralyrestraining tabs 31 which'extendinwarmy'and "such variations.

downwardly to press resiliently against the bottom one I claim: 4

of the cartridges 1Q in ehar ger lfl and thereby releasably A magazine charger fora firearm having a magazine restrain'tlie"caftridges"ih'silcheharger. 5 and a port in alignment with the magazine, including a body member for storing a column of cartridges, said body member having an e nclosing shell sir nil ar in configuration to 'that' of the longitudinal pro file" of the carl s i wh by th v a tr e are e i iv ,.th tein is em odime h ra? 10 slid bl on-s ft n ,ivex iqlnwp m nnfliin e a tar lialfthefload "of 1' straining tabs in said body member forreleasablyt-holding the column oi cart ridges therein a boqg like follower for moving th e eoluihn 'ofc'ar'tridgs --fidin body member to the magazine j said follower having a longitudinal cross-section similar to that of the ease portion of "the cartridge and "being arranged to eiig2'iges'1IcH'6ase portion, dimples in said body for centralizing said body Fi e s P eii T! n e gf9 Pt tvi 1 ea.v 1 3 a 1958 1 9 t rs m wh e he o to 45 235,833 Garand 25,1941 i2;318;1'0 7 Garand '1. 12113.4, @944 26591173 Capito g Nov. 17, "1953 a 5o Q E GN PATENTS r bed e11 it i' sf evidentl a y GreatBritain ;-il92 variationsT'ni-ay be devised within the spirit and scope 306,389 Germany "Feb.13,'192O 

